Game engine of Mass Effect 2 won't start after installing DLCs

[DOA]

Hi,

I'm having a problem with my copy of Mass Effect 2 (ME2). And sorry in advance for my "bad" english, I'm no native speaker.

Download and installation of the game itself went as well as I expect it from steam. I played 20+ hours and then I stumbled about the DLCs: I downloaded the six free ones and bought three more (and downloaded them too), all via EAs social network (https://social.bioware.com/user_entitlements.php).

Then I installed them, which went smoothly as well: The DLCs installers recognized the steam installation of ME2 in an instant, all nine installations performed without problems.

Then I encountered the problem: As long as the DLCs are present (i.e. the DLC subfolder in "\SteamApps\common\Mass Effect 2\BioGame" is named correctly as "DLC") the game engine itself won't start. The game's UI starts up, I get the main menu (with the two "computer sceens"). But I can't load savegames or start new games (including importing ME1 characters). At this point the game should "switch on/load up" the game engine, but that does not happen.

If I rename the DLC folder (for example to "__DLC") the game works completely normal: I can use my savegames, I can start new games. No problems whatsoever.

I also tried to rename all nine DLC subfolders in the DLC folder to check, if a single one of them (or a few) cause this problem. But it happens with anyone of them: As long as the DLC folder is present, the problem is present too.

I already talked two times with the EA support, bot times rather unsuccesful. The first shot at problem solving was a complete reinstall of the game, which I did - nothing changed. The second supporter denied me support by saying, that EA does not do problem solving on steam clients and redirected me to the steam support. Dis I did too, but I hope that maybe someone in the community is familiar with this problem.

So I'm here to ask you for your help: Do you know this problem and can you help me?

From my point of view I would say that there is simply a "switch" (in place of a better word) missing, that accepts the presence of the DLCs.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance! :)

[DOA]

P.S.: This happens regardless if I'm logged into the Cerberus network ingame or not.

[DOA]

No help, no hints...? :/

[GrimAquatic]

If I had to guess, I'd say the game is trying to activate DLC and something is blocking it's access to the Internet.

[DOA]

Thanks, but the access to the web is not the problem. I can authorize/activate new DLCs without any problems - my problem surfaces/happens after that.

To illustrate the problem a little bit more:

Screenshot #1 shows the situation with no DLC present (read: I changed the folder name from "DLC" to "_DLC"): http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=163414247

Screenshot #2 shows the same situation with DLC present (no renaming, the folder is named "DLC"): http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=163409937

Screenshot #3 shows that happens when I try to start a new game with a male, female or imported char (DLC present) - it "freezes", showing this "empty" main menu: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=163413011

Meanwhile I updated my AMD graphics card drivers, update the PhysX software suite and installed the latest x86 and x64 versions of Visual C++ 2005. No change...

I also installed steam on my work laptop, installed ME2, ran the game until I was on the Normandy to access the weapons locker. Then I quit the game and installed the DLC. After the activation (same procedure as on my desktop pc, no problem there as well) of the DLC I could load up the savegame without problems and could use the DLCs content (I just installed Aegis to check (because of the weapon)) ingame. No problem at loading, no "blank" screen when starting a new career when the DLC is present.

I even copied the Steam folder and planted it on my desktop pc while "hiding" the original one, same with the save/profile folder. Steam ran without problem - as long a the DLC is NOT present...

Even using JUST the samegame that worked like a chamre with DLC on my laptop did not work.

So it MUST be something problematic with or something missing on my desktop pc.

Any idea?

[GrimAquatic]

You can try to delete the entire Mass Effect 2 folder from your documents.

[DOA]

Already did (also just renamed), but I'll try again (Even if I reeeeally doubt that that's the problem. The game finds the savegames, it just can't access the engine (or something) as lomng as the DLCs are present.).

A moment, please...

[DOA]

Yeah, no success. :/ Thanks nonetheless!

The game just "hangs"...

[GrimAquatic]

Are you able to start new game with all DLC enabled?

[DOA]

As repeatedly written: No.

[King DaMuncha]

Well theres a very simple way to do it, but I cant tell you because that would be breaking the rules.

[DOA]

Heh... You had clowns for breakfast, eh? ;)

[dourden77]

I posted exactly the same problem that you have months ago, here:

http://steamcommunity.com/app/24980/discussions/0/627457521169620940


I could say it's nice to see that someone has the same problem as mine, this means I am to alone in this, and perhaps we can find a solution together.

My case was that I have the old instalable CD's, and after two years I buyed the steam edition for the DLC content and the extras.

In both original CD installing and also in Steam installing, the game "hangs" when installing ANY dlc. If I go to the Achievements section, the images are lost and are substitued by a "IMG" black text.

I also asked EA for support but I had no response from them.

I didn't try to rename the DLC folder, I will try it.

The fact is that I believe that its a Windows 7 problem.

Has anyone had this problem under windows 7?

[EliteSarge]

Hmmm I've never had this problem.

Have you tried running ME2 as an administrator? As well as uninstalling PhysX and starting the game again so it installs the version of PhysX that ME2 requires because it doesn't play nice with newer versions.

This is all I can think of at the moment.

[dourden77]

I see that PhysX is for nvidia cards. I have not tried it yet, I will seek if it is compatible with AMD Radeon Cards.

The problem is that with no DLCs it runs OK, but with DLCs, it crashes.

I have put MassEffec2Launcher.exe, MassEffect2.exe and MassEffect2Config.exe to "run as administrator" and tried all windows compatibilities (windows 98/ME, Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Vista, Windows server, Windows 7... all of them) and no one works.

I have reinstalled older versions of DirectX and nothing...

My system is:


- OS: Windows 7 Professional
- Processor: Intel Core i7-3820 CPU @ 3.60 GHz 3.80 GHz
- RAM: 16 Gb
- System type: 64 bits OS

- Graphic card: AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series

[dourden77]

I still find incredible that only changing the name of DLC folder so the system doesn't load it can make the game work...